Fix My Heart

Veronica Evans has lost everything she loved. Though she seems completely happy to her friends and boyfriend, she's not. She's hurting inside, she feels nothing but guilt for not being able to save her sister and the scars on her wrist only remind her more of the things she lost; the things that she will never get back.

But just when she thinks that there's no way she can go back to being the cheery girl she used to be, will she be saved by her roommate Travis O'Connor whom she hates?

11. 11. You're Impossible

Without Veronica’s knowledge, Travis had carried her to his room the moment he saw that she was asleep. He was very careful not to wake her up as he laid her down under the covers and climbed in after her. He didn’t try anything. He didn’t try to cop a feel or even kiss her. All he did was hold her in his arms as if protecting her from all the bad things that would try to get to her. Today had been a pretty long day for her and he was determined to make it up to her somehow, and he knew exactly what he wanted to do as he began falling into a deeper sleep. His dreams came to him in a peaceful wave, whereas hers were anything but.

“No dad please!” Gwen cried. She stood arms extended from her sides in front of her younger sister. She had to protect Veronica. “Leave her alone, she's just a kid!”

“So are you, now move out of my way you brat!” Kyle wasn’t exactly a patient man, and when he wanted something, he go it. Even if it meant by force, but as he advanced towards, he backed them into a corner, leaving them with nowhere to run.

“Dad, just leave us alone!”

A loud crackling sound erupted throughout the empty house as Gwen's head snapped to the side. A large red mark the shape of a hand was now etched onto her face, and it stung like nothing she had ever felt before. But she stood her ground. Even as Veronica screamed for her, she didn’t take a step away from her younger sister. “Stop, stay back Veronica!” She snapped when Veronica tried to walk over to her.

Their father laughed maniacally, the eerie noise echoing throughout the house. “Veronica,” He said teasingly. “my dear Veronica. I always thought that you were the stronger of you two, but seeing Gwen protect you like this is quite laughable.”

He slapped her again, this time knocking her her down to the floor. “I have every right you ungrateful whore!”

Gwen slowly lifted herself up until she was being supported by her arms. She refused to stay down and her expression turned hard. She was struggled to get back up, but she did anyway.“Ungrateful?” She questioned shakily. “Ungrateful?! Why would I be grateful to a man who rapes me every night for his own sick pleasure!?”

He kicked her, knocking her down again.

Veronica stood frozen against the wall. Their beatings never got this bad. Usually he just slapped or punched them a few times until they obeyed, but today was different. Today their father’s attitude was twice as hostile, and he wasn’t taking no for answer.

What do I do? Veronica thought helplessly. She was absolutely petrified right now as she stood back. She shut her eyes and covered her ears wishing she was anywhere else but here.

“Ahhh” Gwen yelled as her father threw another kick her way. Her cries got louder and louder as she screamed for him to stop. But he didn't. He kept kicking until her screams finally came to a halt.

“See Veronica,” Her father said panting, feeling exhausted from literally beating his child to death, “this is what happens when you talk back.”

Veronica gasped when she opened her eyes. Her sister was laying motionless on the floor, bloodied and bruised as he hovered over us with a triumphant smirk plastered on his face.

She wasn't breathing.

No, she can't be dead. Veronica ran to her sister's side and placed her head in her lap. With shaking hands, she brushed her sisters hair from her neck and checked her pulse. Nothing.

“No, no, no, no!” She chanted in agony. "Gwen! Wake up Gwen! Please don't leave me!" She began rocking her back and forth while tears streamed down her face.

As Veronica shot up from the bed, she shouted her sisters name. “Gwen!”

She began looking around the room, her eyes searching in vain for her sister. For a second she felt like that dream never really happened and that she would find herself in her old house watching her sister run out of her room after dumped some water on her like she had done many times before. Instead she was in a dark room that she knew for sure wasn’t her own, and to her side was a tired looking Travis rubbing his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” He yawned. She didn’t reply. Instead she was staring ahead of her in terror. Her body was shaking as she tried to catch her breath again. He keyed in that it must’ve been a horrible dream and he wondered if she had these often, and if so then maybe that’s why she had chosen the soundproof room. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and began slowly pulling her down with him so they were once again laying down. Her head was resting on top of his chest and he calmly stroked her arm, doing his best to get her to stop shaking. “It’s okay, it was just a bad dream. You’re safe and alright.”

He figured he’d ask her what the dream was about tomorrow rather than now to reduce the chances of her waking up like that again.

She’s really been through a lot. He thought, instantly feeling bad for always making her life even harder. A part of him felt like he shouldn’t suddenly just be feeling bad now just because he knew her back story, because he should’ve just been nice to her from the start. He thought it was stupid that the only way people were going to be nice to you sometimes was if they knew you had problems or something like that. People should be nice to everyone regardless of where they came from, what mental illness they had, or whether they were a complete bitch, because a nice attitude could go a long way and if you were lucky, that bitch could suddenly see that being rude all the time wasn’t going to get them anywhere.

Travis felt stupid. Even he didn’t know why he was always such a dick to her, but he felt bad now, and he was now set on making her feel better. So as he fell back asleep, he began mentally preparing himself for the many events that would take place tomorrow.

Waking up the next morning, Veronica felt like crap. Her head was pounding and her cheeks felt tight from dried up tears. She could barely open her eyes from how swollen they were and she internally groaned because she still had to go to school. Pushing the blankets away from her she saw that she was still wearing her clothes from yesterday and there was an arm wrapped tightly around her waist. Her first instinct was to scream, but as her eyes followed the arm, she came face to face with Travis. He was still sound asleep, but she didn’t feel all that bad as she shook him awake. “Travis wake up. We have to go to school.”

He frowned, eyes still closed and he groaned. “No we don’t.”

“Yes we do, it’s Tuesday.”

“We’re not going to school.” He told her. “We’re skipping and having fun today.”

She went to argue, but the blanket was pulled back over her and she was pulled closer into his chest, his head now resting on top of her head. She groaned. “You’re impossible.”